Sandro Bottega (Bottega Spa), ‘Prosecco is an anti-stress “pill”, ideal after a day of voting’.

“During the Conclave, the ideal wines for the electors to consume are light and savory ones. Therefore, among the structured ones, Chianti and Brunello are the most suitable to drink before the white smoke. Sparkling wines such as Prosecco are instead an excellent option at the end of the daily voting for the election of the new Pope because they act as an anti-stress”, declared Sandro Bottega, wine entrepreneur at the head of the historic company Bottega SpA of Bibano (TV), one of the leaders in Italy for the production of Prosecco . The Conclave that will lead to the election of the successor to Pope Francis will begin today, Wednesday 7 May at 4:30 pm and will last until one of the candidates obtains two thirds of the votes. The cardinal electors, in the meantime, will stay at the Casa Santa Marta where they will consume their meals and every day they will be transferred by bus to the Sistine Chapel for the vote. “For such important days,” explains Sandro Bottega, “we can make some distinctions about the type of wines that could be consumed. Alcohol, obviously, is almost always present in this type of product, but when the wine is of a savory nature it brings wisdom and therefore I recommend a glass of Chianti or Brunello di Montalcino – two red wines – on the occasion of the electors’ meal that will take place on the days of the voting for the new Pope. Sparkling wines like our Prosecco are instead anti-stress because with their bubbles they make the alcohol enter the blood more quickly and bring tranquility. They can therefore be consumed especially at the end of a day of voting on the occasion of the Conclave. Finally, Barolo and Amarone are red wines with a higher alcohol content that combine well with the euphoria for the election of the new Pope and therefore could be consumed after the final white smoke.” The 2013 Conclave for the election of Pope Francis lasted two days, as did the one that led to the pontificate of Benedict XVI in 2005. To find the last Conclave that lasted more than two days, we need to go back to 1978 when the white smoke for Pope John Paul II arrived on the third day. “Regardless of the length of the Conclave, in general we at Bottega Spa advise voters to drink water for breakfast, for lunch, if possible, a glass of non-alcoholic or low-alcohol wine (even better if rosé) if it is an ‘important’ meal; a glass of white wine, even a structured one, if it is a light dish such as a plate of pasta. For dinner we always suggest a savoury red wine such as Chianti and Brunello which gives wisdom in view of the votes or a glass of sparkling wine, from the classic method to prosecco, to be paired according to the foods which is an anti-stress ‘pill’. Finally, for the key day, when the white smoke is near, we recommend drinking a glass of Valdobbiadene Superiore di Cartizze, a slightly sweet Italian sparkling wine and then toasting the end of the Conclave with a glass of Amarone or Barolo, wines with a high alcohol content”, concluded Sandro Bottega, wine entrepreneur and leader of Bottega Spa, among the leaders in Italy for the production of Prosecco.

Villa Navagero Erizzo Rovarè of San Biagio (TV) – 23/25 May 2025.

For its sixth edition, the traveling exhibition Biennale Ville Venete will host a MasterClass dedicated to heroic wines, with particular reference to sparkling wines, in the splendid setting of Villa Navagero Erizzo: “The courage to be unique: the bubbles of extreme lands”. The MasterClass, which will be held on May 25 at 4:00 pm in the historic cellar of the Villa, will present a selection, with tasting, of ten labels of sparkling wines (Charmat method, Classic and Rifermentati) from ten different heroic areas, starting from Veneto, arriving in Sicily and ending with Brazil, with wine aged at sea. The tasting will be led by Alessandra Dinato , creator of the L’Assaggiastorie project (sommelier with a diploma from the London Wine and Spirit Education Trust – WSE), supported by Alvaro De Anna , founder of Vini da Terre Estreme. The wines offered: Toghe Rosse Rosé – 2018 – La Staffa del Quinta (Valpolicella Alta, Veneto) ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————– Radiosa Aurora – 2020 – Claudio Polesana (Wines of the Dolomites, Veneto) ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————– His Highness 650 – 2024 – Tenuta Lombardo (Sicily) ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————– Lumassina di Bosco 2020 – Terrazze Singhie (Western Liguria) ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— DueZeroSette Metodo Classico Pigato – 2016 – Tenuta Maffone (Western Liguria) ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Centosanti Metodo Classico Brut – 2018 – Dragone (Basilicata) ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— Martina Biagi Metodo Classico 2022 – Biagi (Gran Sasso vineyards, Abruzzo) ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————– Armuar Metodo Classico 2019 – La Sbercia – (Oltre Pò Pavese, Lombardy) ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————– Metodo Classico Miolo 2020 aged at sea – Miolo (Brazil) ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————– Apum Rosato 2021 – Cantine di Nessuno (Etna – Sicily) Places are limited, reservations are required.

Consorzio Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato in which the initiatives for the month of May are presented, among which the Giro di DOC and the Festa del Ruchè stand out.

The Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato Consortium is pleased to announce GIRO DI DOC , the initiative dedicated to the promotion of protected denominations, scheduled from May to November. This project will involve local restaurateurs and hoteliers, true ambassadors of the local food and wine heritage, who will promote the wines through exclusive events and presentations.

The promotion of the denominations will take place through dedicated events , with the participation of journalists, professionals and wine lovers, to spread the wine culture of Monferrato and the unique characteristics of each production.

Each month will be dedicated to a specific denomination . Local restaurants will be involved, creating experiential itineraries and targeted gastronomic proposals to best enhance the grape variety and its denomination. The denominations planned for this activity include: Grignolino d’Asti DOC , Piemonte DOC Rosato , Freisa d’Asti DOC , Barbera d’Asti DOCG and its Superiore version, Ruchè di Castagnole Monferrato DOCG , Terre Alfieri DOCG Arneis .

GIRO DI DOC represents an extraordinary opportunity to tell the story of Monferrato through its wines, involving the territory and its protagonists in a journey of passion. Through these promotional initiatives, the Consorzio Barbera d’Asti e Vini del Monferrato renews its commitment to highlighting and supporting the denominations that embody the soul of an incomparable territory. Tradition intertwines with modernity and cultural diffusion, creating opportunities to celebrate not only excellent wines, but also a landscape that tells its story through viticulture. A heritage capable of evolving and continuing to offer new expressions of quality.

Great anticipation for one of the most eagerly awaited events will be the traditional Festa del Ruchè , scheduled for May 17 and 18 , at Tenuta La Mercantile in Castagnole Monferrato – Asti, a unique opportunity to celebrate this wine with distinctive characteristics and strengthen the bond between producers and the public. Ruchè, one of the rarest native vines among those cultivated in the Monferrato Astigiano, comes from dry, calcareous soils subject to high levels of sunlight. Since 1987, the year in which it obtained the DOC denomination, it has recorded constant and progressive appreciation that today makes it an expression of the territory’s identity and variety. It obtained the DOCG in 2010 and its production today reaches one million bottles. Entrance to the splendid rooms of the Tenuta will be free , with tastings for a fee . To accompany the tastings of Ruchè, in a specially set up space, visitors will be able to discover the specialties of the territory prepared by the Pro Loco and some restaurants of Castagnole Monferrato.

Off-road events in the city start on Monday 5th May, then a big party in Piazza Nettuno from Friday 9th to Sunday 11th.

At Palazzo Re Enzo there will be eighty participating wineries and then tastings, talks and various insights for an event that aims to promote the culture of wine and celebrate Italian excellence and that of the Emilia Romagna region. There will be a large presence of producers from the Consorzio dei Colli Bolognesi, focus on sparkling wines, sustainability, wine tourism and new styles of wine consumption.

Bologna – Bologna Wine Week is back for its third edition, the event that celebrates wine in all its forms and transforms the heart of the city into a great stage of taste, wine culture and conviviality. An entire week ( from Monday 5 to Sunday 11 May ) dedicated to the best of Italian and Emilia-Romagna wine production, including tastings, talks, masterclasses and events spread across the venues and symbolic places of Bologna. Confirming itself as one of the most anticipated events of the year for professionals, enthusiasts and the curious, the event renews its vocation: to enhance wine as a cultural expression, to tell its story and to promote the territory in an innovative and inclusive way: “ The third edition of the Bologna Wine Week represents a further step forward towards the construction of a taste identity for the city, increasingly at the center of the national cultural and gastronomic scene – says the organizer Gian Marco Gabarello – the Bologna Wine Week is a project that combines passion, identity and vision and every year it grows thanks to the collaboration between producers, sommeliers, restaurateurs and citizens. It is the demonstration of how much wine can be the cultural and economic engine of a community ”. The absolute protagonists are wines and those who make them, with the presence of dozens of wineries, consortia, producers and sommeliers from all over the country. Among the new features of this edition is an area dedicated to sparkling wines thanks to the partnership with Spumanti Italia (now in its seventh edition) and there will also be a room dedicated to spirits, which will allow visitors to explore the world of mixology and artisanal production, further enriching the experience of the event. It starts on Monday 5 May and will continue throughout the week with OFF events in partner restaurants and venues, then on Friday 9 May in Sala Borsa ( here to register ) from 3.00 pm to 4.00 pm “ Wine tourism: Experiences, hospitality and winning models ” hosted by journalist Giuseppe De Biasi, from 4.30 pm to 5.30 pm “ Sustainability and innovation in the wine supply chain ” with Marco Vassallo, journalist of the E-Planet programme broadcast on Italia 1, also present are the wine expert Riccardo Cotarella and Professor Rosario di Lorenzo, President of the Academy of Vine and Wine and Professor of Viticulture at the University of Palermo, from 6.00 pm to 7.00 pm “ New styles of wine consumption: young people, trends and changing habits ” with Andrea Zanfi (publisher of BUBBLE’S) and then we will continue with the Award Ceremony of the “Ambassadors of Italian Brindisi”. Palazzo Re Enzo will become a large open-air wine shop that will host 80 wineries from all over Italy and then the various masterclasses: it starts on Saturday 10 May at 11.00 with the opening of the tasting tables and at the same time “ Old Sparkling. Tasting of classic methods with more than 120 months on the lees ”, at 12.30 tasting of 6 Parmigiano Reggiano paired with 6 Pignoletti, at 15.00 the Women of Wine with the tasting “ Do you know this? Journey through a Region to discover and taste 100% ”, at 16.30 The Guardians of Lambrusco present themselves curated by Sergio Scaravaci (ONAV), at 18.00 instead the tasting with the Ambassadors of the Italian toast. Sunday 11 May starts at 11 with the opening of the tasting tables and then the masterclasses begin: at 12.30 “ The different aromas of the great Prosecco Valdobbiadene DOCG ”, at 15.00 “ Expressions of Pignoletto, soul of the Colli Bolognesi Consorzio Emilia Romagna ”, at 16.30 “ The lands of Oltrepo’ Pavese, a dive into Pinot Noir ” and then it will conclude with the tasting at 18 “ Sicily, land of wine. Journey to discover the island with 7 iconic labels ”.

The event, promoted by Gian Marco Gabarello, through his wine shop Ebrezze, is sponsored by the Municipality of Bologna, the Emilia Romagna Region and Bologna Welcome. Sponsors Bper, Parmigiano Reggiano, Ghedini Group, Gandini Arredamenti, Confcommercio Ascom Bologna, Rexel, Luigi Bormioli, Acqua Cerelia, Consorzio Colli Bolognesi, AM Bologna, Orsini Soda, Segafredo and Bologna Business School.

The participating wineries: A large presence from Emilia Romagna with the wineries Al di là del fiume, Assirelli, Bonzara, Botti, Cantina del Frignano, Cantina della Volta, Cantina Forlì, Predappio, Cantina Illeri, Cantina Vespignano, Cesare Gallegati, Cantina Floriano Cinti, Torre Ca’ Bianca, Gaggioli, La Mancina, Manaresi, Montevecchio Isolani, Morini, Oro di Diamanti, Otto Logiurato, Podere Riosto, Tenuta La Riva, Terre Rosse, Cantina Terre Rosse Vallania, Tomisa and then the wineries from all over Italy: Marramiero (Abruzzo), Azienda Agricola Faraone (Abruzzo), Ritterhof (Alto Adige), Fonzone (Campania), Il Verro (Campania), La Guardiense (Campania), Fontana Reale (Campania), Torre del Pagus (Campania), Villa Matilde (Campania), Aia delle Monache (Campania), Caputo (Campania), Angoris (Friuli-Venezia Giulia), Tenuta Villanova (Friuli-Venezia Giulia), Terre di Ger (Friuli-Venezia Giulia), Casale della Ioria (Lazio), Cottarella Family (Lazio), Padroggi La Piotta (Lombardy), Monsupello (Lombardy), Bruno Verdi (Lombardy), Fiamberti (Lombardy), Costa Ripa (Lombardy), Valdamonte Agricultural Company (Lombardy), Prime Alture (Lombardy), Podere Santa Lucia (Marche), Citra (Marche), Pasquale Pellissero (Piedmont), Cascina Guido Berta (Piedmont), Malabaila of Canale (Piedmont), Parusso (Piedmont), Erbaluce Winery of Caluso (Piedmont), Enrico Serafino (Piedmont), Bera (Piedmont), Tenuta Roletto (Piedmont), Rocche dei Manzoni (Piedmont), Tenuta Gaggino (Piedmont), Vetrere (Puglia), D’Alfonso Del Sordo (Puglia), D’Araprì (Puglia), Progetto Vino (Puglia), Schola Sarmenti (Puglia), Tenute Gigliotto (Sicily), Sette Ponti (Tuscany), Ornina Wines (Tuscany), Tollena (Tuscany), La Leccia (Tuscany), Vini di Maremma (Tuscany), Klinger winery (Trentino Alto Adige), Buglioni (Veneto), Sparici and Landini (Veneto), Le Rive (Veneto), Cantina dei conti (Veneto), Adami (Veneto), Nino Franco (Veneto), Cantina del Castello (Veneto) and Valdo (Veneto). The event is conceived and organized by Gian Marco Gabarello through his company Ebrezze , a reality that combines catering, hospitality and drinking culture. In addition to giving life to Bologna Wine Week , the company manages Ebrezze , a seafood restaurant and cocktail bar in the heart of the city (Via Castiglione, 11D), and Ebrezze Giardino , the charming summer venue in the hills of Bologna. With this event, Ebrezze strengthens its role in the food and wine scene, promoting wine as a central element of a cultural and convivial experience that involves the entire city.